Review by: Raygun

The Single Cask is a newer IB, founded in 2010 by former wine importer Ben Curtis. Although based in the UK, they are also known for their bar in Singapore. As the name suggests, they bottle single casks, though not entirely single malts. I’ve tried a couple, but not a bottler I’m terribly familiar with. Craigellachie, on the other hand, I have tried a fair amount. Reviewed from a sample. Rested about 15 minutes.

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Distillery: Craigellachie

Bottler: The Single Cask  

Region/style: Speyside single malt Scotch

ABV: 58.9%. Cask strength. 

Age: 18 years old. Distilled on January 30, 2007 and bottled on February 19, 2025.      

Cask type: Finished in a first-fill Oloroso octave #900075, 84 bottles

Color: 1.6 mahogany. Natural color and non-chill-filtered.

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Nose: Craigellachie sometimes appears slightly peaty to me, and this is one of those. A grimy edge to it like Benromach can have. Prunes, dates, sticky buns, and salted pecans.                  

Palate: Very sherried indeed. I wasn’t sure how first-fill octave would work, and it is very cask-driven. However, Craigellachie is a strong distillate and it’s not disappearing. Wet forest, dates, prunes, raisins, and pecans. Sticky toffee. Maintains the grimy feel of the nose. Packs a punch for sure. Takes on more depth with time and water. 

Finish: Very long. Not overwhelmingly oaky even coming from an octave. The combination of wet forest and dried fruits continues. A little more herbal flavor, with thyme and rosemary. Sticky toffee. Benefits from water here, too. It wasn’t searingly hot, but the other flavors are more developed. 

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Conclusion: I was a little skeptical about the octave cask, but it worked. Craigellachie can stand up pretty well to this sort of cask. Has some similarities with the Exceptional Cask series entries I’ve tried. I’d expect cheaper, too, but I haven’t looked carefully. The grimy edge it has is nice and keeps it from being a typical sherry bomb. 

Score: 82

Scoring Legend:

• 95-100: As good as it gets. Jaw-dropping, eye-widening, unforgettable whisky. (Convalmore 36)
• 90-94: Sublime, a personal favorite in its category. (Bruichladdich Black Art 4.1)
• 85-89: Excellent, a standout dram. (Ledaig 13 Amontillado)
• 80-84: Quite good. Quality stuff. (Tomatin 18)
• 75-79: Decent whisky worth tasting. (Glen Scotia 15)
• 70-74: Meh. It’s definitely drinkable, but it can do better. (Aultmore 12)
• 60-69: Not so good. I might not turn down a glass if I needed a drink. (Glenmorangie 10)
• 50-59: Save it for mixing. (Old Pulteney 12)
• 0-49: Blech. (Muirhead’s Silver Seal 16)